Rolling process and apparatus



April 2, 1957 J. B. WAG-STAFF 2,787,046

ROLLING PROCESS AND APPARATUS Filed Oct. 20, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

farm's .5. VQs/a/f Ap 1957 J. B. WAGSTAFF 2,787,046

ROLLING PROCESS AND APPARATUS Filed-Oct. 20, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z6 22gg A IN V EN TOR.

Inga; j. Fills/0y] kWZ W United States Patent ROLLING PROCESS ANDAPPARATUS James B. Wagstafl, Ridgewood, N. J.

Application October 20, 1951', Serial No. 252,289

7 Claims. (Cl. 29-48) This invention relates to a process and apparatusfor rolling sheets of ductile materials such as steel and, moreparticularly, the invention is directed to the rolling of sheets toeffect not only a reduction in the thickness of the sheets butalso anincrease in the width thereof.

While there is extensive prior art on rollingprocesses and mills, it iscurious that no one has thus far succeeded in devising a process andmill which would reduce the thickness or gauge of metal sheets andsimultaneously increase the width of these sheets to an appreciableextent.

A primary object of this invention is to roll sheet materials in amanner to effect simultaneously reduction of thickness and increase ofwidth of the sheets.

Another principal object is to roll at least two strips at the sametime. to produce a corresponding number of sheets of thinner gauge andgreater width or to form a single sheet of thinner gauge and a widthgreater than the total width of the component strips fed to the rollingmill.

Additional objects and advantages of this invention will be evident inthe description which follows.

In accordance with this invention, two separated strips of ductilematerial are moved in converging directions, and at substantially thepoint of convergence, are fed into a rolling mill, preferably oneequipped with planetary rolls, so that each strip enters the mill at anacute angle to the line of discharge from the mill. As a result, thethickness of the sheets is reduced and simultaneously the rolled sheetsissue from the mill as individually wider sheets than those fed theretoor as a single sheet wider than the sum of the widths of the stripsenteringthe rolls. In the latter case of a single product sheet, it issometimes advisable to assist the fusion of the converging feed stripsas by placing a torch flame at the point of convergence. Other meanssuch as induction heating may be employed to promote bonding of the feedstrips to one another; also, a jet of a blanketing gas like nitrogen,

. argon or helium may be directed at the point of convergence of the twofeed strips to prevent oxidation which would impede fusion of thestrips. Conversely, when the feed strips naturally tend to sticktogether during the rolling operation but it is desired to produce asmany thinner and wider strips as are fed tothe rolls, an antistickingagent such as graphite or oil may be applied on those portions of theconverging strips which abut one another.

To facilitate understanding of the invention, reference is now made tothe illustrative drawings which form a part of this specification and ofwhich:

Figure 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an arrangement ofrolls and feed strips for carrying out the present invention;

I Figure is a top-plan view" of the arrangement shown in Figure 1 butwith the upper rolls which contact the top side of the strips removed toshow more clearly what occurs in the strips undergoing rolling inaccordance with this invention;

Figure 3 is a side sectional elevation taken along the line 3-3 inFigure 2 through the set of planetary rolls in Figure l; and

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic plan view of two strips being rolled inaccordance with this invention into a single unitary sheet having awidth greater than the sum of the Widths of the two component strips; inthis example, a torch flame is directed at the point of convergence ofthe two strips to facilitate the welding thereof.

The same reference numerals have been applied to corresponding elementsin the several drawings.

Referring to Figure 1, a set of feed rolls 10 driven by suitable powermeans (not shown) engage and push forward a metal strip A, while anotherset of feed rolls 12 similarly advance a second metal strip B. Strips Aand B have the same composition, physical properties and dimensions. Inbeing pushed forward by their respective feed roll sets, the strips Aand B are forced into the nip of a set of rolling planetary rolls 14.The strips A and B are fed angularly to the rolling rolls 14 andconverge at a point 16 in the nip of rolls 14.

The two sets of feed rolls its and 12 are disposed as close as possibleto the set of rolling rolls 14 and their respective axes form equalacute angles with the axes of rolls 14. Since the metal strips A and Bmove through feed rolls ill and 12, respectively, in directions at rightangles to the axes of these feed rolls, it follows that the directionsof the two strips A and B likewise form equal acute an les with thedirection of the rolled sheet C discharging from the planetary rolls 14;the acute angle selected will vary with the type of metal st-rips undergoing rolling, their dimensions, and like factors, and in general willfall in the range of about 5 to preferably about 10 to 30. Obviously,the angle of convergence of the two strips A and B' is twice theselected acute angle. For example, if strips A and B move in directionsforming equal acute angles of l7 /2 with the direction of sheet C, theangle of convergence of the two strip-s A and B is 35.

The process of this invention is advantageously carried out when thefeed strips passing through the rolling rolls are subjected to asubstantial reduction in thickness, say, reduction to at least about /3of the original thickness or gauge of the feed strips. T o attain suchsubstantial reduction of thickness with a single set of rolls, planetaryrolls are very effective. For this reason, there is illustrated inFigure l a set of planetary rolls 14c0mprising an upper master roll 14aand a lower master roll 14b, each provided with a multiplicity ofrollers 18 arranged around the periphery of the master roll.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3', the rollers 18' are spaced uniformlyaround the periphery of each master roll with their axes parallel tothat of the master roll. The ends of rollers 13 find their hearings in apair of ring supports 20a and a pair of ring supports 20b mounted at theopposite ends of master rolls 14a and 14b, respectively. While themaster rolls 14a and 141) are powerdriven, the rollers 18 rotate freelyin their bearings as do likewise the pairs of ring supports 20a and 20bmounted at the ends of master rolls 14a and 14b; in other words, therollers 18 and rings Zlla and 2% are not connected to power means tocause the rotation of these members. However, the rotation of ring Ztlaat each end of the planetary rolls 14 is mechanically intermeshed withthe rotation of the ring Ztlia at the same end of'the rolls 14; Thisintermeshing is so designed that a roller 18- on the bottom of masterroll 14:: and'a roller 18 on the top of master roll 14!] passsimultaneously through the plane containing the axes of the master rolls14a and 14b as is clearly shown in Figure 3.

There is schematically shown in Figure 2 a sectional view of a frame 22which supports a bearing 24 which holds the end 26 of master roll 14b.Frame 22 also holds the opposite ends 28 of feed roll b. Similarly, aframe 30 supports a bearing 32 for the other end 34 of master roll 14band holds the opposite ends 36 of feed roll 12]).

. As the metal strips A and B enter the nip of the planetary rolls 14,reduction of the thickness of these strips immediately proceeds. Theupper flat surfaces of strips A and B are depressed at the nip as can beseen in Figure 3, the fiat portions and the curved depressed portions ofthese strips meeting along the line 38 which is best shown in Figure 2.The lower flat surfaces of the feed strips A and B are likewisedepressed as they advance through the planetary rolls 14.

In Figure 4, an acetylene-oxygen torch 40 comprising concentric, spacedtubes 42 and 44 for conveying the two gases ispositioned so that theflame 46 impinges at the point of convergence 16 of the two metal stripsA and B and thus facilitates the welding of these strips into a unitarysheet C which has a Width greater than the sum of the widths of thecomponent strips A and 13. Where it is desired to prevent the fusion ofstrips A and B, torch 40 may be replaced by a spray nozzle for injectingan oil or like anti-sticking agent into the point of convergence 16 ofstrips A and B.

A specific example will be given to further illustrate the presentinvention. Two strips of the same steel, each 18 inches wide and inchthick, are preheated to a temperature of about 2300 F. and rolled inapparatus of the type shown in the drawings. Specifically, the planetaryrolls 14 are 4 feet long and are driven at a speed of 800 revolutionsper minute. The master rolls 14a and 14b are 18 inches in diameter.Twenty rollers 18 of 2 inch diameter surround each of the master rolls14a and 14b. The two strips of steel, which are fed to the planetaryrolls 14 with a convergence angle of issue from the planetary rolls as asingle sheet having a width of about 42 inches and a thickness of 0.08inch.

Other important metals which can be processed in accordance with thisinvention include copper, brass and aluminum.

In view of the various modifications of the invention which will occurto those skilled in the art on consideration of the foregoing disclosurewithout departing from the spirit or scope thereof, only suchlimitations should be imposed as are indicated by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In the process of rolling sheets of ductile materials, theimprovement of producing a sheet of decreased thickness and increasedwidth which comprises moving two separated sheets of a ductile materialin converging directions, said converging directions formingtherebetween a convergence angle of at least 10, and subjecting said twosheets in abutting but non-overlapping relationship to a rollingoperation beginning substantially at the point of convergence of saidtwo sheets to effect simultaneously a decrease in the thickness and anincrease in the Width of said two sheets.

2. An improved process of rolling sheets of ductile materials foreffecting simultaneously a decrease in the thickness and an increase inthe width thereof, which comprises moving two such sheets in the sameplane and in converging directions, starting the rolling of said twosheets substantially at the point of convergence thereof, and continuingthe rolling of said two sheets to decrease the thickness thereof whiledischarging the rolled portions of increased width of said two sheets ina common direction which forms equal angles of at least 5 with each ofsaid converging directions and is concurrent with said convergingdirections.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein the equal angles between said commondirection and each of said converging directions have a magnitude in therange of about 5 to 45.

4. A rolling apparatus to alter the dimensions of ductile sheet materialby rolling, which comprises two reducing rolls with their axes inparallel and with their peripheries spaced to receive said sheetmaterial and to reduce the thickness thereof, a pair of feed rollsdisposed with their axes in parallel and to force a strip of said sheetmaterial in a direction at right angles to their axes into the nip ofsaid two reducing rolls, the plane of the axes of said pair of feedrolls forming an acute angle with the plane of the axes of said tworeducing rolls, and a second pair of feed rolls disposed with their axesin parallel and to force a second strip of said sheet material in adirection at right angles to the axes of said second pair of feed rollsinto said nip of said two reducing rolls, the plane of the axes of saidsecond pair of feed rolls forming an acute angle with the plane of theaxes of said two reducing rolls, the two mentioned acute angles being ofequal magnitude, and the two mentioned pairs of feed rolls beingpositioned so that the longitudinal edge of one of the two mentionedstrips converges with the longitudinal edge of the other of the twomentioned strips substantially at said nip of said two reducing rolls,each of said two reducing rolls being of a width greater than the sum ofthe widths of the two mentioned strips.

5. The rolling apparatus of claim 4 wherein each of the two reducingrolls comprises a master roll of relatively large diameter and aplurality of rollers of relatively small diameter arranged in parallelcontact with I said master roll and spaced uniformly around theperiphery of said master roll.

6. The rolling apparatus of claim 4 wherein the magnitude of each of thetwo mentioned acute angles is in the range of about 5 to 45.

7. In the process of rolling sheets of ductile materials,

the improvement of producing a sheet of decreased thickness andincreased width which comprises moving two separated sheets of a ductilematerial in converging directions into edge-to-edge contact at the pointof convergence and providing said edges with clean surfaces sutficientfor welding, said converging directions forming therebetween aconvergence angle of at least 10, subjecting said two sheets in abuttingbut non-overlapping relationship to a rolling operation beginningsubstantially at the point of convergence of said two sheets to effect adecrease in the thickness of said two sheets and to force the edges ofsaid two sheets together under pressure, and conducting said rollingoperation to create sufficient pressure to effect welding of said edgesand thereby creating a unitary sheet having a width greater than the sumof the widths of said two sheets.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS GreatBritain Oct. 6, 1948

